mnazzaro_lmf

//Learning Motivation and Fun//
 //View// the assignment page //for a more detailed explanation of this project.

In this exercise, you'll collect data from our database of interviews about fun and learning. Use this template and the data to create 5 generalizations for what you observed. Your generalizations should answer the questions//
 * //What makes learning fun and engaging?//
 * //What are the implications for your own teaching and design work//

3) High school students almost universally reported that physical activity was an element in the experiences they called "fun".//** //Bill W, for example described learning beginning archery skills at boy scout camp. Sallie Forth recalled a social studies class in which "we recreated in chicken wire and paper mache the battlefield at Shiloh and spent several class periods reconstructing the events there." All together there were 24 experiences that took place during high school years and all but 1 included physical activity. In most cases (19 out of 24) these activities also required creative or critical thinking.//
 * //Example:

What are your 5 generalizations?
1) **1) //Males 20-29 years old desire more social recognition than women.//** Although females ages 10-18 and ages 40-49 slightly desired more social recognition than their male counterparts, males ages 20-29 overwhelmingly differed in this need. Austin, a boat captain enjoyed the camaraderie between the instructing captain and the students when learning to pilot a boat. Ronnie enjoyed the club that was attached to his geography class. The majority of males required acceptance and depended upon their fellow classmates and instructor. This trait was not so pronounced in males of other age groups. If I am ever required to design/teach for males 20-29 I will be sure to use a team approach where there is plenty of interactivity/socializing within the class. For on-line instruction in this age group I would encourage the use of a blog or Wikki in an attempt for students to feel like they are on more of a personal level with the instructor and classmates.


 * //2) Females ages 10-19 outnumbered males over 2-1 regarding preference for high humor.//** Females only slightly outnumbered males in preference in all age groups for humor, except in age category 10-19. KT, at age 17, learned to speak English by watching cartoons and KS found that her instructors and their high energy made cheer leading class fun. Harlan vividly remembers her biology teacher who climbed a tree and pulled down a leaf for the students to views aphids and ants, and the symbiotic relationship between the bugs and the leaf. Because the teacher was full of fun and surprises she remained in Harlen's memory as to what fun and learning should mean. I think that a small amount of proper humor (nothing discriminatory) relives tensions on both instructor and student and I recommend it. If I was called upon to design/teach for females, ages 10-19, I may slightly increase the humor level.

learned to fly an airplane over Hawaii. Kimberly challenged herself month after month and learned how to surf. Matt remembers learning to drive a manual (stick-shift) automobile at the age of 15 1/2 by practicing in an empty lot when no one was around. Sam was practically the only learner who discussed enjoying an abstract subject, philosophy. Unless the subject matter is abstract, as in philosophy or an art, course material should be concrete. I teach adult learners software that they use everyday at work, so functional context learning theory works well. I will keep in mind the findings from this LMF assignment when I design/develop other types of learning materials and keep it very concrete.
 * //3) Students of all ages and both genders overwhelmingly preferred concrete as opposed to abstract learning.//** Females in age groups 30-39 returned the highest amount of search results based on this tag. At age 33 Deborah


 * 4) Learners, ages 10-39, both male and female want to be challenged.** Not many in this age group rated their fun learning experiences as fairly easy. Outside of this age group there was not any significant difference between the 2 extremes, challenging or easy. KC at age 22 found wake surfing very challenging and a good experience. Lana from Lebanon took on Hip Hop dancing that challenged her body. Cliff was 35 years old and participated in a search and rescue workshop in Wyoming. It's obvious that learners found challenging training as a fun experience. I think that learners of all ages and genders need to be challenged when learning, or he/she will find the material boring and you will lose them, especially if you design/teach in the on line environment. Because of this class I have started to incorporate interactivity as in white board activities and I am hoping to learn how to challenge my students with games. This LMF tag (challenging) solidifies my reason for joining this class.


 * 5) Learners prefer teacher involvement –** Learners in both groups, male and female and in all age categories prefer teacher involvement. Very few reported a 0% or 100% involvement with a teacher, so some learners do favor independent learning over instructor led, but not many. Carl learned to speak Russian, while in the air force, by Russian instructors. The Russian instructors made a huge positive impression on Carl. Barb remembers her choir director, Sherry who made the training fun. Learners in this category also reported learning with their peers as partially important. I was going to push for more independent learning at my job but I think I will continue on with instructor-led classes only.